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Two wins at the Council of Ambulance Authorities Awards for Excellence 2026
Two wins at the Council of Ambulance Authorities Awards for Excellence 2026
17 August 2026
Wellington Free Ambulance has scooped two awards at the recent Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA) Awards for Excellence. The Awards given by CAA at their annual conference are designed to encourage and acknowledge innovations from ambulance services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Wellington Free Ambulance submitted and were finalists in two categories, with the international judging panel awarding:
- Excellence in Clinical Practice – Enhanced Virtual Care
- Excellence in Leadership – Building Wairarapa Station – Creating a Government, Community and Philanthropic Partnership
Feedback from CAA
The CAA Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Tombs, congratulated WFA, acknowledging our outstanding achievements:
“Wellington Free Ambulance’s accomplishment at the CAA Awards for Excellence marks another magnificent achievement for the service.
“Wellington Free Ambulance’s recognition in the Clinical Practice category is a testament to its commitment to identifying opportunities and driving meaningful improvements in clinical practice. The service should be incredibly proud of this achievement and continue its outstanding work.
“By building a new station, raising the funds required, and uniting a community in the process, this award is a crowning achievement in the Wairarapa project's story.”
About the winning projects
Enhanced Virtual Care (EVC)
EVC is our strategic response to the growing demand for ambulance services. It expands the experienced clinical team to provide significantly increased levels of telehealth to patients, supporting patients to receive appropriate care at home. These solutions will provide the right level of care at the right time, which may or may not involve an ambulance dispatch.
Building Wairarapa Station – Creating a Government, Community and Philanthropic Partnership
Building Wairarapa Station is a powerful example of philanthropy in action. $8.3 million was required to build this state-of-the-art ambulance station. The WFA Trust contributed $3 million and the Government contributed $1.2 million, leaving a $4.1 million funding gap. Four major donors committed close to $3 million, with the wider community contributing $1.3 million, exceeding the target needed to bring this vision to life.
This remarkable support shows that philanthropy is critical in enabling us to deliver innovative, resilient, and community-focused care.
Together, our donors and communities are helping ensure access to the emergency care they need, when they need it most.